B&Q, ‘Operation New Gate’ and a Bushman

9 May 2015

Saturday is a curious day of the week and frequently a noisier one than any other day around the offices of FWL. People in nearby homes seem to think that it is a good day to mow their lawns, let their children off the leash and generally create a lot more volume than on a week day, heaven knows why…. Well, today we are doing the same! It was decreed – after two online meetings this morning – that a new gate needed to be purchased. This had been discussed previously, measurements taken and a reconnaissance mission completed last weekend by Mr FWL. So, to B&Q we went and bought all the necessary ‘kit’ as well as said gate, a new hose pipe and a hanging basket (not sure what the latter two items had to do with ‘Operation New Gate’?).

Returning mid-afternoon, I had no idea how long it would take to properly fit a new gate. It is not a challenge that Mr FWL and I complete on a regular basis. In fact, in all my years of property ownership, I have never had to fit a gate. Well, it is not a simple task I can tell you. It takes a lot of equipment, sweat and effort – thankfully, no blood or tears which is excellent news!

During the time when a second pair of hands has not been needed, I have been trying to kill some of the ‘to-do’ list. The tree I have been working on is well documented online and so I have been trying to prove that what is out there is not a load of rubbish and that 2+2 does in fact equal 4. So far, so good and we are back in the early 19th century…. In the midst of this quest, I have managed to locate a brilliant entry in the 1851 census:

Bushman‘ aged about 23 from Ireland who was ‘laid in stable‘ at 1 Front Street, Howden, Yorkshire on the night the census was taken. Anyone looking for him? You might be but how would you know?! How much would you like to turn back time and go and thank those enumerators back in Victorian times? (or ask them to please speak to ‘Bushman’ – wake him up if needs be – and find out what his name was!!!)

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